Leonardo: Flights of the mind pg. 130-160
In 1477, Leonardo started
his own studio in Florence. He had spent the last ten years in being
Verochios apprentice and assistant. This is when he first becomes
truly independent. A letter found in the 1990's provided evidence of
his first assistant, Paolo. Paolo had spent some time in prison (it
is thought because he was a homosexual) and much like Leonardo, he
didn't grow up with a father, so Leonardo helped play a father-like
role in his life.
Leonardo received his
first recorded commission on 10 January 1478 from Signoria for a
large altar piece to hang in the chapel of Palazzo Vecchio, however
Leonardo was actually offered this after the first choice turned it
down. This project became Leonardo's first to be abandoned, which
didn't help matters with his career. He had started work on
theproject to cover up a painting done by Bernado Daddi, to be done
in the same theme. After Leonardo abandoned the project, Fillipino
Lippi finished the painting using Leonardo's prep drawings for the
painting.
Some years later, four
men set out to assassinate, three of which were captured, but one got
away. The man was found and brought back to Florence and hanged at
the bell tower of the cathedral. Leonardo sketched the event and
wrote descriptive notes on the page describing what the man was
wearing.
Tommaso di Giovanni
(known as Zorastro) was another one of Leonardo's assistants.
Confirmed documents record payements to him for work as an apprentice
in April and August of 1505 where he is described as Leonardo's
'garzone' whose job was to grind the colors. It is thought that he
was a part of Leonardo's life before this, in the 1490's while
Leonardo was in Milan. This was mentioned in a poem found by an
anonymous writer. Tomasso was born around 1462 in the village of
Pertola and died in Rome in 1520. He was the son of a gardener, but
claimed to be the illegitimate son of Bernardo Rucellai, the brother
in law of Lorenzo the magnificent. For some time he was known as
'Indovino' (meaning: fortune teller). When he went to Milan with
Leonardo he professed the art of magic. He was an independent
craftsman in Leonardo's studio, working with metal. He was interested
in alchemy and chemistry and a great expert in mining. He was
everything from a jester, musician, to an engineer.
If Tomasso was an
apprentice for Leonardo in the late 1470's then he would be
associated with Leonardo's early efforts as an engineer. Leonardo was
involved with hoists and cranes when he was involved in placing the
palla on top of the Duomo. Vasari mentioned Leonardo's interest in
heavy lifting gear by means of levers, hoists, and winches which can
also be seen by sketches done by Leonardo.
Leonardos connections
with rimesters, like Cammeli and Bellincioni led him to yet another
accomplishment. He was a brilliant musician, particularly good at
playing the lyre. In 1482 he was presented to the Milanese court as a
musician rather than a painter or a technologist.
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